Third Party Information

I hate getting information 3rd party especially when it concerns someone I have a genuine interest/concern in.  I realize in today's social media society most people put their lives on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  I'm not one of those people.  I don't have a Facebook, Twitter or Instagram currently and don't have the ability to follow or like anyone on those formats.  I prefer to get my information from the source itself.  Do you remember the game you learned in elementary school called "Secrets" or "The Whisper Game" or "Pass the Message?"  The game started with some silly random phrase like "The boy with the brown shirt has blue shoes and black pants."  The object of the game was to pass the message to the end of the line exactly as it was started.  Usually by the end of the line "the boy with the brown shirt has blue shoes and black pants" turned into "the girl with the black skirt and no shoes does handstands."  That's my problem with 3rd party information.  People put their own twist or spin on the facts and make things more/less than what they should be.  One of my best friends recently provided me with some interesting information about another friend we have in common.  My first thought was why are you telling me this?  My second thought was why has our mutual friend not shared this knowledge with me?  My final and most important thought was if the mutual friend does not choose to share the information then it is not my place to inquire about it because I found it out 3rd party.